The Buonvisi (one of the most ancient and powerful families of Lucca), according to history a certain Buonviso di Corrado was the forefather who then became Buonviso Buonvisi councilor of the emperor Otto III in 990 d.c.
The family was already known in the middle ages in all the European courts as Bankers and traders, who made their fortune with the trade of silk and in the management of some banks; following the discovery of the new world, they expanded their trades even overseas, becoming at a certain point of the town history, the wealthiest family in Lucca and becoming for double investiture (papal and imperial), Marquises. In this period between inside and outside the city walls, they owned as many as 19 villas and six mansions. From the early years of the Republic, until the time of Elisa Baciocchi’s Principality, its members participated actively, in various times, to the administration of the city. At the time of the republic, for various years, they played an important role in the Council of Elders. It was one of them Martino Buonvisi (standard-bearer and later ambassador of the republic with the emperor), who in 1532 drowned in blood the famous uprising “ Of the Beggars”, during the night between April 9th and 10th penetrating into the city from porta S.Donato with about 600 men from the countryside which were joined by some armed citizens, defeating and driving out insurgents.
In the family history, another person was involved in a violent act; it was June 1st 1593, Lelio Buonvisi. Slaughter was done, according to the chronicles, with 19 stab wounds by the wife Lucrezia Malpigli and her lover Massimiliano Arnolfini, who following his capture, was walled alive in the Matilde tower in Viareggio and the wife was forced to become a nun.
In 1568, Carlo Diodati nephew of Martino Buonvisi, born from the marriage of Anna Buonvisi, with the standard-bearer Michele Diodati, after being imprisoned for heresy in Rome by the inquisition and banned from Lucca, took refuge in Geneva where he died in 1625, tragic ending, for whom had had at birth the Emperor Charles V as a godfather (he had offered himself before the child’s birth if a boy and called after him) and the Pope as the celebrant of the function. In 1705 the marquis Pompeo Pisani, Venetian, who arrived in Lucca because of disagreements with the doge of Venice, married Paolo Buonvisi’s second child, Luisa, granddaughter of the powerful Martino Buonvisi. This marriage gave life to the branch of today’s remaining family and owner of the Buonvisi-Pisani residence.
Amongst the various Buonvisi it is important to remember even: Lorenzo Buonvisi, author with Pietro Cenami, of the conspiracy that removed in August 1430 Paolo Guinigi and his lordship from the city of Lucca’s guide and the cardinal Francesco Buonvisi (1626 – 1700), who was named cardinal by Pope Innocent XI, after being apostolic Nuncio in Poland and Austria. After his appointment as cardinal, in 1690 Francesco Buonvisi moved to Lucca as archbishop.
In 1568, Carlo Diodati nephew of Martino Buonvisi, born from the marriage of Anna Buonvisi, with the standard-bearer Michele Diodati, after being imprisoned for heresy in Rome by the inquisition and banned from Lucca, took refuge in Geneva where he died in 1625, tragic ending, for whom had had at birth the Emperor Charles V as a godfather (he had offered himself before the child’s birth if a boy and called after him) and the Pope as the celebrant of the function. In 1705 the marquis Pompeo Pisani, Venetian, who arrived in Lucca because of disagreements with the doge of Venice, married Paolo Buonvisi’s second child, Luisa, granddaughter of the powerful Martino Buonvisi. This marriage gave life to the branch of today’s remaining family and owner of the Buonvisi-Pisani residence.
Amongst the various Buonvisi it is important to remember even: Lorenzo Buonvisi, author with Pietro Cenami, of the conspiracy that removed in August 1430 Paolo Guinigi and his lordship from the city of Lucca’s guide and the cardinal Francesco Buonvisi (1626 – 1700), who was named cardinal by Pope Innocent XI, after being apostolic Nuncio in Poland and Austria. After his appointment as cardinal, in 1690 Francesco Buonvisi moved to Lucca as archbishop.
